The Fire Prince and The Dragon Princess

Chapter 2: Good Influence?

The city was saved from The Spider Queen's wrath. Sun Wukong, Demon Bull King, and all the other demons kidnapped were saved. And most importantly, The Spider Queen and her gang were taken down.

Even the sky itself was beautiful...thanks to a chaotic explosion, but that's not the point.

Red Son had his father back. That was mostly what mattered to him. Not much else...but...he did have to admit. He enjoyed the antics of the heroes-

Bleh. What was he saying? He'd probably just attempt to destroy them tomorrow. Or the week after. Or the MONTH after. Whenever, just because he enjoyed some of the journey doesn't mean he's a hero, nor did it mean he ever would be.

"We should really get better at not smushing the city." MK said, looking up at the sky.

Wukong chuckled. "Eh, priorities."

The two laughed for a while before Wukong faced him. "You did really good today, bud."

MK turned to him. "Are you ok? After...?"

"It's fine, bud. It's dealt with...wanna tell your friends to take it down a bit?" Wukong asked, slowly turning to Tang, who was fanboying.

"M-MONKEY KING!!!" Tang screamed. "I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN!!!"

Red Son rolled his eyes, sitting on a piece of debris besides his father.

Mei just smirked. "Hey! Daddy Bull King, your baby Red Boy did real good hero work today!"

DBK's eyes raised and he turned his head to his son, looking down at him.

Red Son quickly stood. "NO, NO! FOR THE LAST TIME, I AM NOT A HERO!"

Mei laughed, playfully imitating Red Son's traditional evil laughter.

Red Son turned. "F-Father...let's never tell Mother anything that happened today, heh."

DBK thought for a moment about his wife's reaction to him being kidnapped. He then turned to him. "Agreed. Come along...son."

Red Son's eyes widened before they went starry. His father had been so focused on conquering the world that he hardly heard that sentence ever since he was 110 years old, which was around a child in demon years. "S-SON...?" He laughed like a dope before clearing his throat and teleporting himself and his father out of there.

Mei smiled at the reaction before humming. She then grabbed her phone. "...welp, now I'm curious."

"About what, Mei?"

Mei blinked. "Shockingly? Research."

A few days later, Mei sat on her chair and spun around like a tornado before remembering what she had to do and cracking her fingers. "Alrighty then! Let's see."

She then typed into her computer, a green holographic screen showing up. "Red...Boy." She then laughed. "Can't believe that's his actual name."

She then hummed, looking over all the articles on Red Son AKA Red Boy. She then randomly clicked on one article and started reading.

"Sun Wukong had battled against Red Boy in hopes of returning his master Tang Sanzang. Red Boy did not believe Wukong's statement that Red Boy's father (Demon Bull King) was his sworn brother, which technically made Wukong a relative of his.

Red Boy then tried to kill Wukong by controlling five carts (each one representing one of the Five Elements) that emitted in great amount of fire that had the power to blot out the heavens, but Wukong cast a fire resistance spell and chased after Red Boy, who had went back into his cave, thinking he had defeated Wukong.

Sun Wukong at first asks for some rain from the Eastern Dragon King to counter Red Boy's Samadhi Fire, to no avail (the Dragon King's rain can only extinguish normal fires, but Red Boy's fire is inextinguishable to normal efforts to quench fire) with the rain in fact intensifying the flames. Caught directly by the flames, Sun Wukong is ultimately almost burned to death and he finally resorts to asking for the help of the Bodhisattva Guanyin."

Mei blinked. "Wait, wait, wait...Red Son was actually a THREAT?" She started laughing, clutching her stomach. "Oh, man! He really let himself go!" She then hummed. "Wonder what he looked like as a kid."

She then kept reading. "As Red Boy was fighting Wukong in a forest, he found Guanyin's (empty) lotus throne, and then in irreverence, sat in it, imitating Guanyin's posture. Suddenly the lotus throne transformed into swords, which pierced-"

Mei's eyes then widened. "...OH, GOD...THAT....HAS GOTTA HURT..."

She then continued. "and wounded Red Boy. Red Boy; as he attempted to take them out, the swords then transformed into halberds, which trapped him. In pain, Red Boy then pleaded for Guanyin to release him. In return, Red Boy would have to also become Guanyin's permanent disciple, and was given the name 'Shancai'.

She then withdrew the blades and healed Red Boy's wounds, but Red Boy then attempted to attack the Bodhisattva once more. She then threw a golden band which multiplied into five and fixed it around his head, wrists and legs (which were similar to the magical band around Wukong's head), in that it also tightened after Guanyin recited the mantra, causing pain to Red Boy, thereby subduing him.

Red Boy then found out that he could not remove these bands, and after being jibed by Wukong, took his spear and attempted to attack him, only to have Guanyin recite yet another mantra, which made Red Boy put his hands together in front of his chest, unable to pull them apart; Red Boy, now with his arms immobilized, could do nothing other than lower his head in a bow of defeat."

Mei was about to laugh before seeing a depiction on a mural of Wukong and Red Boy's battle...it wasn't colored, but? Red Boy...was a child.

He went through all this...as a child?

Mei's eyes softened. "...Guanyin took him away when he was a kid. No wonder he's not used to being called 'son'! He was...taken away..."

Then? The door knocked. "Mei! It's dinnertime!" Her father's voice called.

"Oh! Yeah, yeah, Dad!" Mei said before typing again.

"...typing? Is there a new video game for typing or something-" Mr. Longma asked before walking in and seeing the article. "Mei, may I ask what you are doing?"

"Uhhhh, remember Red Son?" Mei asked.

Mr. Longma hummed. "I...believe so. Why?"

"I...think I might know why he's a bad guy." Mei said, gesturing to the article.

Mr. Longma adjusted his glasses before reading over it, and his eyes widened. "...oh...I can see why he acts like the way you told me now."

"...yeah." Mei said. "We worked with him when Spider Queen took over, and honestly? He seemed...vulnerable."

Mr. Longma looked at her. "Well. Even demons have a vulnerable side."

Mei looked at the image of the mural of Wukong and Red Boy again...she had a feeling she'd be seeing Red Son again. Sooner rather than later.